Trump says US ‘hit’ Venezuelan dock where drugs are allegedly loaded onto boats – National
American President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States has “struck” an area in Venezuela where boats are loaded with drugs, and this will be the first time that the United States is known to have conducted an international operation in Venezuela since the start of the pressure campaign against the government of President Nicolas Maduro.
“There was a big explosion in the dock area where they were loading boats and drugs,” Trump said.
“We’ve hit all the boats, and now we’re coming to the place … the launch site. That’s where they used to be, and that’s gone.”
It is not clear which target was hit and which part of the US government did it.
Asked if the CIA had carried out the attack, Trump said: “I don’t want to say that, I know exactly who it was but I don’t want to say who it was.”
Trump has said that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela.
On a radio show last week, Trump made vague comments about the apparent US operation against a “super institution” in Venezuela.
The Central Intelligence Agency, the White House and the Pentagon did not publicly comment on the comments and declined to comment on questions from Reuters. The Venezuelan government has not commented on the incident described by Trump and there have been no independent reports from Venezuela about it.
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Venezuela’s communications ministry, which handles all requests from state media, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
In the past, the administration has highlighted its success in taking out vessels suspected of smuggling drugs, and the Pentagon has posted pictures of many of its strikes on social media.
The lack of response from US national security agencies has raised questions about whether the incident Trump mentioned was carried out in secret. Doing so may limit the ability of US officials to speak out on the issue.
Last month, Reuters reported that the US is poised to launch a new phase of sanctions related to Venezuela, as the Trump administration increases pressure on Maduro’s government.
At the time, two US officials said the covert operations could be the first part of a new crackdown against Maduro.
The US mission has focused on military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels and has put Congress on high alert. More than 100 people have been killed in more than 20 strikes in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
Earlier this month, US military leaders briefed lawmakers on an incident in September in which a US strike killed 11 people but left scores of survivors. They were killed in a second strike ordered by Admiral Frank Bradley.
Democrats on Capitol Hill questioned whether the second strike was conducted in accordance with international law.
Trump’s comments come amid a large U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, including more than 15,000 troops.
